Disclaimer: How much does this woman pay these Lawyers? They're going to mad extreme! A group of them were following me and my mates while we were playing rugby. They were "well disguised…" pretending to be birds! By God this is getting ridiculous! I DO NOT own any of the characters from Harry Potter, the setting, or anything like that. I own Prayer R. Willow's it. I don't own any material borrowed from the book either, like "Harry squinted at the black alleyway."- Book 3, pg 33.
A/N: Last chapter was hard. Hard to decide how Snape would handle the situation, also hard as to how Prayer could re-act and get away on minimal punishment. Starting the hatred between the two (Prayer and Snape) was difficult too. He has such affection for her, for some unknown reason, that I had to find a way that he would really have a go at her. Then it hit me! She's a bit of a rebel, and has a bit of a problem with authority, as you have seen, so he would want to "put her in her place" at Hogwarts. She rarely defies him, and it pains both of them. Since Snape has the "Death Eater" thing going for him, he understands her troubles. He's a bit like a father to her, quite a bit, and she a daughter to him. Oh, and just for the record, as introduced in this chapter, Prayer has a bit of a…er how to word it… drinking problem… ENJOY!
"I suggest you watch who you're calling pig headed. You have no room to talk yourself." Prayer snarled.
By now students had stopped on the stairs, as had teachers and ghosts, to watch this unfold. It was silent. You could have heard a pin drop a mile away. Dumbledore stood in the shadows of the staircase with McGonagall and Lupin.
"I suggest you watch your tone, Miss Willow. I am, after all, a teacher here at this school. I can and will give you a week of detention. I will also take points from your house."
The Gryffindor's gasped at this hideous threat. Fred stood silently, watching her. Prayer stared hard into his eyes, held her head up high, and stood her ground. Snape and Prayer were less than a foot apart. She was tall, and they glared at each other.
"Now, Miss Willow, where are you and Mr. Weasley off to? A stroll perhaps? Or someplace secret, to be alone?"
Fred grabbed Prayer, holding her back. She was trying to break free, trying to have a go at Snape. Snape smirked at this. He would put her in her place, no matter how hard he had to be on her. He couldn't baby her forever.
"Let me go." Prayer said as Fred held her tighter.
George, Malfoy, Ron, Harry, and Oliver Wood came down from the bottom of the stairs, where they had been standing, to assist Fred. George took her left arm, Wood the right. Malfoy stood, grabbed her right shoulder, Harry her left. Fred stood, holding her round the waist, and Ron took hold of both her shoulders at once. It was quite a scene.
"I'll ask you one more time, Fred. All of you let me go." She said in a low tone.
"Your brother was never a problem like this. Why can't you be more like him as a student Miss Willow?" Snape said smirking.
Prayer broke free. In a flash, Draco, Ron, and Harry were on the ground. Wood, Fred, and George staggering backwards.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron yelled as he fell to the ground.
She didn't hit Snape. She didn't strike him in any physical way, but her words could have killed him.
"I hate you." She snarled in a low voice.
A look of pure awe covered Snape's face. Never in a million years did he think he would hear those words from Prayer. He quickly regained his composure. Dumbledore stood calmly, letting the scene unfold.
"Albus, Reamus, shouldn't we do something?"
"Let her be Minerva. Severus is more than capable." Lupin said quietly.
"I hope to God that he finds you Snape! Because when he does, you'll wish you were never born!" Prayer screamed.
"Albus..." McGonagall said quietly.
"Minerva, you must let the child be." Lupin said. "Let her figure it out for herself. Severus is brave for doing this."
"Doing what?" McGonagall asked.
"He's distancing himself from her Minerva. So she can grow without him." Dumbledore answered simply.
She rushed away to the basement of the castle, and found the Kitchen. She had been there many times, and let herself in by tickling the pear. The house elves greeted her, and offered her food.
"No, thank you." She said quietly.
"Would Miss Prayer like to stay and sit by the fire?" one elf known as Ami asked.
"Yes, please Ami." Prayer said as she sat on the hearth by the fire.
There was a loud POP and another elf was there.
"Hello Miss Prayer!" A young male elf said cheerily.
"Oh, hullo Puddles." Prayer said to her house elf.
Puddles was the house elf that served the "Willow" family. Prayer wished to set him free, but her brother had forbid it.
"Puddles saw what that cruel man did Miss Prayer!" Puddles said coming to her side.
"Ami could I have something to drink please?" Prayer asked the female elf quietly.
"Oh of course Miss Prayer! Ami would be only too happy to serve you!" Ami said as she brought a bottle of firewisky.
Puddles quickly took the bottle from Prayer, just as Prayer was about to sip it, and threw it briskly into the fire.
"Puddles…" Prayer said as she smiled and shook her head.
"Puddles is sorry Miss Prayer, but Master made me promise that I would not let Miss Willow drink!" Puddles insisted, his large ears flapping with each nod of his head.
At first Prayer just smiled, but then she took in what he said.
"Wait, you've seen Tommy?" Prayer asked hopefully.
"Puddles should not have mentioned it…" Puddles said grimly.
"Puddles, how is he?" Prayer asked with one hand on each shoulder of the elf now.
"Puddles can not say Miss Prayer… Master has sworn me to secrecy!" Puddles said quietly.
Prayer began to violently shake the small house elf.
"PUDDLES YOU HAD BEST TELL ME NOW!" Prayer screamed.
Now, Prayer was not normally a violent person with Puddles. She treated him very well. Not many things set her off, but the topic of her brother always did.
"Miss Prayer! Master made me swear!" Puddles cried out.
The other house elves stopped and watched. Someone had entered the kitchen while Prayer was shaking Puddles. Prayer had not noticed this.
"PUDDLES! I'LL GIVE YOU THREE SECONDS—" Prayer said, yet was cut off to someone rushing to her side.
Fred was there. He had been searching for her, and decided to look in the kitchen. He rushed to her side, and put his hands over hers, which were still shaking the house elf.
"Prayer, stop this! You'll ruddy well kill him!" Fred said demandingly.
Prayer immediately stopped, and let go of Puddles. She rose, and began sobbing. Fred stood, and took hold of her. She hugged him back, sobbing into his shoulder. Puddles stood, watching. Fred held her until she had calmed down. She turned to Puddles, and knelt down.
"I'm sorry Puddles." She said hugging the elf close to her.
"Puddles is not angry at Miss Prayer. Puddles is only very sorry that he can not share his information with her." Puddles said softly.
"Would you like anything to eat?" Ami offered Fred.
"Maybe later." Fred said, waving her away.
"Puddles must go now. Master is calling for Puddles." He said quietly.
"Take me with you!" Prayer begged the small elf.
"Now, Miss Prayer knows very well that Puddles can not take you."
"I know…" She sighed. "But, at least tell him this for me. Tell him that I hope to see him soon. Tell him I want to see him." She said.
Puddles nodded, and disapeared with a POP! Prayer stood back up, and hugged Fred again.
"Would Miss Prayer like something now?" Ami asked.
"Yes please." Prayer said.
Prayer ate a bit, and then Fred took her hand and led her out of the kitchen. They snuck up onto the first floor, outside the Great Hall. Together, they quietly climbed the staircase, making sure to miss the trick stair. They came to the painting of the Fat Lady.
"Password?" She said.
"What time is it?" Prayer asked.
"Not even past nine. Password?"
"Treacle Tarts." Fred recited.
Prayer smiled at the choice of the password. As they entered the Common Room, three Weasley's, A Granger, and a Potter came rushing towards them.
"Thank God you've found her!" George said as he hugged her.
"Blimey you gave us quite a scare. Running off like that!" Ron said.
"Yea, yea, I'm fine. I was in the Kitchen." Prayer mumbled.
"Are you alright Z?" Ginny asked, attaching herself to Prayer.
Fred, George, and Ron managed to pry their baby sister off of Prayer.
Finally, it began to get late, and the Common Room cleared.
"You're in the room with Lavender Brown and me." Hermione said as she and Ginny, the last besides Prayer and Fred, headed up to the Girl's Dormitory.
Prayer nodded, and sat down in an armchair by the fire. Fred sat on the arm of it, and looked around the empty Common Room. Prayer stood and began to pace.
"I have to go out." She said finally.
"No way!" Fred exclaimed as he jumped up. "You'll be caught and points will be taken off!"
"It's alright. I won't be caught. I have the help of a very…er…faithful ghost."
"Who? Nearly Headless Nick?" Fred questioned.
"Peeves."
"Ha! Not very faithful!"
"To me. Trust me. Let's just say I caught him doing something, and I have undying proof that he did, and he doesn't want Dumbledore or the Bloody Baron to find out." Prayer said with a grin.
"Blackmail! Bloody brilliant!' Fred exclaimed.
Prayer nodded.
"Where are you going?"
"To see Se--Snape."
Fred had a solemn look on his face, and nodded. He somewhat understood the bond between Snape and Prayer. It was one of family. Almost a Father-Daughter relationship, but not exactly; there was a mix of sibling and best friend thrown in. Way more complicated than Prayer and Dumbledore. He was like her Grandfather, and she was like his granddaughter. It was quite simple really.
"Alright, but be careful." He said quietly.
She nodded, and turned to leave. She felt his hand on her shoulder, and turned to face him in the fire-lit room.
"Fred I—"
Fred cut her off, putting his right index finger to her lips. He then removed it, and bent down ever so slightly, so that their lips met. Prayer enjoyed the total of the few seconds the kiss lasted, and only wished it had lasted for longer. She looked longingly into his eyes as he pulled away.
"Been trying to ruddy do that for a while." He mumbled.
Prayer just turned a light shade of pink, and turned to leave. She turned around just as she was about to step out. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, and then she was gone.
"Out a bit late aren't we Prayers." A cackling voice said from above.'
"So you got my message Peeves, good. I hoped Ami would get it to you."
"Oh of course Prayers! Anything to not get killed, again!" He said suddenly ill-tempered. (He says her name Pray-ers).
"Peevie, don't get angry with me. I'd blame you. It's simply because I was therewhen you did it." Prayer said with a smirk.
"Hush! I don't want the Bloody Baron hearing." Peeves said floating down to her level, in an oddly serious tone.
"Alright then."
"Where to this evening Madame?" He said with mock service as he bowed.
"To see Sev."
"Ah, I see. Off to see our secret love affair at secret hours of the night."
"Watch it." Prayer said in a warning tone.
They started down the stairs. Prayer kept sending Peeves ahead to see if anyone was there. Finally they arrived in the Dungeon.
"You can go now Peeves." Prayer said.
"Oh my goodness. Not even a "thank you" to dear old Peeves."
"Thank you Peeves." Prayer mumbled as the ghost flew off.
Peeves cackled into the night. Prayer walked towards the Potions room. She didn't knock, she just entered. The door creaked ever so slightly. The door to Snape's quarters was slightly ajar. She could see him pacing inside. She crept to the door, and opened it a bit more. What she saw hurt her far more than anything else ever had.
